Jim O'Callaghan is a politician with leadership ambitions and a reform agenda. But in his bid to overhaul Ireland's legal system, he has picked a high-stakes fight with a formidable adversary: the lawyers of Ireland. It has been a month since solicitors withdrew their services in a deepening row over criminal legal aid fees, and tensions look to be escalating. At the heart of the controversy is a new flat-fee payment model introduced by the Justice Minister, which he argues is necessary to control the spiralling cost of legal aid. For O'Callaghan, the stakes could hardly be higher. The minister has made the legal reform a cornerstone of his leadership ambitions. A victory could bolster his credentials as a future Fianna Fáil leader, but a stalemate could turn into a political crisis. And while the political battle intensifies, it is those seeking access to justice who may be paying the highest price. On today’s Indo Daily, Tessa Fleming is joined by two of the Irish Independent’s political team, Mary Regan and John Downing, to unpack the growing dispute, the political stakes and what it could mean for the future of the man at its centre.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Word on the street is that Daniel Kinahan is suddenly being prepped for extradition from Dubai. The 49-year-old could be back in Ireland in a number of weeks, likely prompting one of the biggest security operations in the recent history of the State. So, what awaits Kinahan when he finally arrives home? On this Extra episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Eimear Rabbitt, news editor with Crime World, who breaks down the latest developments on this fast-moving story. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five activists. One defence company. €1 million in alleged damage. An Irish man now faces up to five years in prison in a German trial that's raising difficult questions about protest, civil disobedience and the limits of the law. Kevin Doyle examines the Ulm Five case with BBC journalist Bethany Bell and Daniel Tatlow-Devally's father, Conor Devally. We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Academy Award-winning artist and leader of The Frames, Glen Hansard, has died at the age of 56. The renowned singer-songwriter was killed in a motorcycle crash in Dublin in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Once the news broke, tributes quickly followed – Hansard was a hugely popular figure, not just in the Irish music scene, but also on the international stage. On this Extra episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by senior features writer and music critic at the Irish independent John Meagher to look back on the life of Glen Hansard. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A “significant” bomb built for “catastrophic” damage, and a suspected plot to bring violence to the streets of Derry. It was the stuff of Ireland’s past, but events last week clearly illustrated that it is also Ireland’s present. The foiling of an alleged New IRA plot to detonate a bomb was a stark reminder of the dissident republican activity that quietly continues on both sides of the border.  At the heart of the case are two suspects: Simon O’Donovan (44), an employee at the National Museum in Collins Barracks, and Isobella Perrie Sullivan (25), a law student.   On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Ken Foy, crime correspondent at the Irish Independent, to look at how the plot was uncovered – and what comes next.  The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The famous residents of an exclusive suburb just outside Barcelona have included footballers like Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta, and international pop stars like Shakira. Recent World Cup winner Lamine Yamal is currently enjoying the spoils of a multi-million euro purchase there. But a German businessman’s address in the neighbourhood has now scuppered his chance of application to be declared bankrupt in Ireland. Last year, 44-year-old former convict Denis Melcher, who had amassed debts of close to €8m, convinced Ireland’s High Court to adjudicate him bankrupt. As part of this process, Melcher submitted a sworn statement in which he declared that he was living in a modest rental home in Carlow. However, at the time, Melcher was secretly spending €8,500 per month to lease a four-storey mansion overlooking Barcelona, with an option to purchase the property for €2.6m. The revelation has raised fears that the Irish bankruptcy regime is now seen as an easy target for foreign nationals looking to shed colossal debts. On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent Legal Affairs Editor Shane Phelan to examine the implications of this curious case. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Winehouse’s time at the top was brief, but her impact was anything but. With era-defining tracks like Rehab and Back to Black, she laid bare her life through brutally honest songwriting, delivered in a voice that was as soulful as it was unforgettable. But alongside the awards and global success came something darker. Winehouse’s rapid ascent was shadowed by addiction, relentless scrutiny, and a tabloid culture that often seemed to feed off her struggles. And the media machine didn’t stop after Amy Winehouse tragically passed away aged just 27; if anything, it found new gears to crank up. Her death, though tragic, was not altogether unexpected for those who had watched her very public battle play out in real time. Fifteen years on, is the entertainment industry more protective of its stars? On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Tessa Fleming is joined by Phil Udell, music lecturer at Ballyfermot College of Further Education and artist manager with Word Up Collective, and by Ian Winwood, music journalist and author of Bodies: Life and Death in Music, to look at the legacy of Amy Winehouse. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On a spring morning in June 2001, an eight-year-old girl gathered moss for her grandmother’s hanging baskets in a forest near Ballinamore in Co Leitrim. The child let out a scream: she had discovered a body.  The remains belonged to Enniskillen businessman Gerry McGinley, and it was clear that he been murdered.  He had been killed by his own wife Julie and her lover.  But it wasn’t a simple tale of adultery. It involved hotel sex with strangers, lies, blackmail and videotape – and included many prominent people in Fermanagh. ­ Today's Indo Daily was originally released on April 14, 2026, and is brought to you by our sister podcast The Bel Tel, as Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Andrew Madden. ­ The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin put boots on the ground in Ukraine this week, travelling to Kyiv for a quick tete-a-tete with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Mr Martin was there to lend Ireland’s support – to the tune of a further €125m, no less - and it really does seem like the Ukrainian president could use a helping hand right about now. As the war with Russia rumbles into a fifth year, Mr Zelensky is facing new battles on the home front, as political rivals and vocal protestors wield their own weapons. His decision to sack popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov led to street demonstrations, while the president also dismissed Ukraine’s army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi just days later. Is the leader once hailed as “the spirit of Ukraine” gradually losing his grip on power? On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent senior journalist Sean Pollock for a look at the political, military and everyday life in Kyiv. The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The days of stars topping the poll of highest earners at RTÉ are gone. Back in 2023, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst pledged to rein in the broadcaster’s highest earners, promising the day would come when nobody would earn more than him. In the latest list of RTÉ’s top 10 earners, it looks like his plan has finally taken shape. So as the stars slide down the RTÉ rich list, who are the suits now commanding the biggest salaries at RTÉ? What could it mean for the broadcaster's future as commercial rivals continue their hunt for talent? And can a new slate of drama productions win back a waning audience? On today’s Indo Daily, Tessa Fleming is joined by Ireland editor Fionnán Sheahan and entertainment correspondent Melanie Finn to unpack RTÉ's latest salary figures and examine whether its reforms are doing the job.  The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.